[Healeys] Yet another mystery

[Don Anglesey]

Give me a break "Austin-Healey" must be a concours judge.  The problem with the Texas cooler is it flexes towards the radiator unlike other fans that were developed specifically for "Austin-Healey's".  With age they flex more.  They have taken out several radiators over the years.  I have no problem with a noisier fan designed to keep the heat down than use that cheap plastic fan.  Like I said to each his own.
Don

From: Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 5, 2025 8:50 AM
To: Don Anglesey <healey100s at live.com>; healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Yet another mystery

The noise was excessive in my Austin-Healey (can't speak to Austin-Healys). The fan all but drowned-out the engine at idle and I didn't like sitting in a cloud of dust (but it was the most-effective temp-lowering mod I've tried).  Note the fan BCS originally sold was different than what I think they sell now; it had massively curved, rectangular blades--seven of them--that went from a couple inches of pitch to near-flat as speed increased.

I only replace cores once (except when a water pump shaft broke and sent a fan into the radiator).

Bob

On 10/5/2025 7:36 AM, Don Anglesey wrote:
Your worried about a little noise in an Austin Healy?  Keep the cooler and continue to replace radiator cores.  There are several better options.  To each his own.
Don

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From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Bob Spidell via Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, October 4, 2025 11:07:34 PM
To: healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> <healeys at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Yet another mystery

Except flex fans are extremely noisy. I got a 7-blade SS Hayden flex fan and BCS's own home-rolled shroud from them decades ago, and it was good for a 5-10deg reduction at idle but, damn was it loud (and it would blow clouds of dust out from under the car when stationary). Ditched it for a TC (but kept the shroud). Some SS flex fans are known for throwing a blade.

bs
On 10/4/2025 9:15 PM, Don Anglesey wrote:
Ditch the Texas cooler, British car specialists sell a nice stainless-steel fan that doesn't flex into your radiator.

Don

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From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Richard Antal via Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, October 3, 2025 6:04:28 AM
To: Harold Manifold <manifold at telus.net><mailto:manifold at telus.net>; Michael Salter <michael.salter at gmail.com><mailto:michael.salter at gmail.com>
Cc: Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Yet another mystery

I inadvertently omitted an important detail: with the advent of cool weather in NH, rather than change the thermostat to 180 from 160, I slipped a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator. I had driven 200 miles in back roads with the cardboard in place and the temp gauge never got above 170, and so I didn't watch the temp gauge while dashing down the interstate at 80 mph. I was unaware of any problem until arriving home, I could smell radiator fluid. When I popped the hood all was wet, hot, and steaming. Perhaps at speeds 60mph and below the fan blades didn't flex enough but at 80 mph, they did and thus I inadvertently caused the damage to the radiator. I doesn't leak. Today, having removed the suspect cardboard, I'll venture forth and watch the temp gauge keenly.......rich







On Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 09:38:55 PM EDT, Michael Salter <michael.salter at gmail.com><mailto:michael.salter at gmail.com> wrote:


I would also suggest that you take a careful look at the baffles that are, or should be, installed forward from the sides of the radiator to the grille. If these baffles aren't correctly fitted hot air from the backside of the radiator will swirl around to the front and pass through the radiator again and thus seriously deminish its cooling ability.

M


________________________________
From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Harold Manifold <manifold at telus.net><mailto:manifold at telus.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 2, 2025 6:45:19 PM
To: Richard Antal <rantal243 at yahoo.com><mailto:rantal243 at yahoo.com>
Cc: Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net><mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Yet another mystery

Rich,

Your comments "high speed. run of twenty miles" and "extra series of cooling tubes" may offer some clues. Fan blades flex away from the side that pushes air, in other words towards the radiator. The extra cooling tubes may have reduced the clearance between the radiator and the fan. There isn't much clearance to begin with. The combination of the two may have been enough for the fan to hit the radiator.

The other issue is what caused the overheating. At high speeds the fan has little to no effect on cooling. Unless the ambient temperature was very high and you were going up a steep hill the colling system should keep up. What was the water temperature gauge saying?

Harold




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